


To Be Human

by firegrilled



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Canon Compliant, Captain Jean Kirschtein, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, M/M, titan armin arlert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-10
Updated: 2018-02-10
Packaged: 2019-03-16 11:04:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13635000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/firegrilled/pseuds/firegrilled
Summary: While most of his friends are fighting abroad, Armin finds himself trapped behind as it’s sole defense of the island. Between the new recruits not trusting him as a titan shifter and the lack of friends, Armin throws himself into his work until Jean snaps him out of his daze. Something about that cocky grin gets Armin’s heart racing and finally gets him to let his guard down to his longtime friend.





	To Be Human

A chorus of laughter and cheers echoed around the dining hall, bringing a smile to Armin’s tired face. The only cause of merriment at such an unholy hour meant another successful mission, and right on schedule. Instead of going to greet the Survey Corp’s most recently inducted squad, Armin remained in place hunched over parchment and scribbling the night away. He only paused to take swigs from metallic flask in his breast pocket.

His hunch proved right when the doors to the hall kicked open. Only one such group earned a boisterous reputation and reveled in it.

“Did you see the look in their eyes?” A young cadet asked aloud.

“Kind of hard to forget since you keep reminding us every five minutes,” another young soldier rolled his eyes, but his toothy grin betrayed his annoyed tone.

Armin glanced over at the doors momentarily to confirm it was _his _squad. Not that the voices and temperament already gave it away. At this point Armin knew the voices of most Survey Corps members.__

__“Yeah, yeah, you scared a one of them shitless. Kind of happens when you coming swinging from the sky with swords,” another soldier snorted. “Words can’t describe our 3DMG that well.”_ _

__“It’s quite the experience,” the young cadet agreed._ _

__Pulling a loose strand over his ear, Armin returned to finishing his current report. Another squad meant another report to write up in the morning for Commander Zoe._ _

__“Here, here,” the oldest of the group lead them to another table in the dining hall. Anyone who remained awake followed the voices to the table with avid interest and glasses of beer. “To Kirschtein Squad, the quickest, slickest, and smartest squad of the Survey Corps.”_ _

__“To Kirschtein Squad!” Everyone raised their glasses._ _

__Armin even paused his writing to raise his flask, not that the others could see him from the corner where he hid himself. He didn’t need to interrupt the celebrations by making his presence known. The brief sting of the alcohol sliding down his throat soothed his nerves._ _

__“Don’t let Captain Levi hear that or you’ll be cleaning the stables with a toothbrush, Fen,” one of the new soldiers elbowed the older cadet._ _

__The room positively glowed from the celebratory atmosphere. But when the squad captain entered, it began to shine._ _

__“That’d be a mercy from Levi,” Jean snorted as he took heavy steps towards the group of soldiers._ _

__“C-C-Captain?!” the young cadet almost choked on his drink. “What are you doing here?”_ _

__Jean paused to give the poor boy a dull glare, silencing the room._ _

__“We ride for days on end to ambush enemy troops, survive with no casualties, and ride back with little time for breaks and you’re asking me why I’d come to drink with my squad? Come on, Bodt, I’m not a hard ass like those other captains. Live a little.”_ _

__Armin lips formed a wry smile. So many things had changed over the years but Jean’s tolerance towards inane questions remained as short as ever._ _

__“Sorry, sir!” the young boy quickly apologized._ _

__Jean let out a loud groan. “No more apologizes. Just shut up and drink. You earned it, everyone here has!”_ _

__With Jean’s declaration the warmth of the room returned with more ruckus than before._ _

__The noise drove Armin to drink from his flask again so he could concentrate on the words he needed to write, yet only a few drops sprinkled his tongue. A lack of drink irked Armin enough to drop his pencil. As he shook the container in vain try and find more alcohol, the pencil rolled over the edge of the table and landed with a soft clatter._ _

__“Just remember we have more training in the morning, and I expect everyone there on time,” Jean continued, earning some groans._ _

__With a sigh, Armin discarded the empty flask onto the table. He surveyed his immediate surroundings for his pencil eventually finding it on the cold, stone floor. Stretching his arms just enough to recover it with his fingertips, Armin spoke to himself, “There we go.”_ _

__Armin scribbled for a bit longer, doing his best to ignore the jovial group across the room. While he appreciated everyone’s mirth, it also tugged on his heart a bit, a reminder of things he no longer experienced._ _

__As Armin’s candle slowly burned away under its own heat so did the celebration. Just as he signed his name on the bottom of the report, a gentle hand gripped his shoulder. Rather than jump at the unexpected contact, Armin relaxed and almost leaned it. Warmth and want filled his head but he remained in place, pulling himself out of those selfish thoughts._ _

__“Why are you still working this late?” Jean pulled his hand back, plopping down on a chair next to Armin._ _

__The fleeting touch left Armin yearning for more._ _

__“The commander needs these as soon as possible,” Armin replied, his voice low. “Don’t you have training in the morning?”_ _

__Jean chuckled at that question, a pleasant noise for Armin’s ears. “They have training. I’m taking some well-deserved rest. You should do the same.”_ _

__“What was that saying I read once? No sleep for the sinful?” Armin stroked his chin, earning another bout of laughter from Jean. Armin frowned, a light blush creeping into his cheeks. “What? What did I say?”_ _

__“No rest for the wicked, I believe. And you’re not wicked so you can sleep.”_ _

__That had Armin laughing. “How did you remember that? I haven’t told you that for months.”_ _

__A cocky grin formed on Jean’s face, causing Armin’s pulse to race. That crooked smile added another chink to the armor that Armin used as a façade._ _

__“What can I say, I’ve got an amazing memory.”_ _

__“Clearly,” Armin rolled his eyes. He instinctively reached for his breast pocket but stopped just shy of it when he saw the glimmer of the candle on his flask on the table._ _

__“Here you go,” Jean supplied a flask of his own, extending it towards his friend. “You only ever have yours out of your pocket when it’s empty.”_ _

__“I didn’t realize you paid that close attention to my mannerisms but thanks,” Armin grabbed the container, quickly opening it and downing some of the drink._ _

__Jean’s grin flattened a bit. “You know, you could join us once in a while. You’re not forbidden from celebrating with us and taking a break from your work.”_ _

__With a shrug of the shoulders, Armin offered the flask back to Jean. “I know but it’s better for the newer soldiers. They are shaky enough without having to worry about me being nearby.”_ _

__“They’ll never get over their unwarranted fears unless you actually try and be with them,” Jean crossed his arms, shaking his head at Armin’s reply._ _

__“Please, we both know they don’t fear me. They fear what’s in me.”_ _

__Jean’s face soured at that notion._ _

__“Is that how you justify throwing yourself into your work and avoiding human contact?” Jean furrowed his brow, grabbing the flask from Armin. He ignored his friend’s glare and took a drink himself. “Isolating yourself from humans won’t make it any better.”_ _

__Armin’s eyes drifted to the report in front of him and focused on the words. “But I’m not human. I’m a monster now.”_ _

__Jean choked on his drink and almost hacked up a lung. “And? That hasn’t stopped you before. It’s as you said back in the trees so long ago: you can’t accomplish anything in this world without becoming a monster.”_ _

__That quip resonated a bit in Armin, actually bringing a smile to Armin’s face. “And I was right. Eren and I are what humanity fears. Even those on our side.”_ _

__Jean leaned back in the chair, ignoring the loud creak as he pondered those words. “Perhaps but that hasn’t stopped Jaeger from living like a human. He reached the ocean and continued to fight for us abroad in Marley. With Mikasa.”_ _

__The mention of Armin’s two closest friends brought a nostalgic haze to his mind. “They’ll succeed. And he’s different from me. He saved Trost, he’s the hero. I’m the latest incarnation of the titan that started all of this. For all his faults I’ll give Bertholdt some credit for being able to bear the weight of this power in silence for so long.”_ _

__Jean’s expression soured further at the mention of their former squad mate. “Even if he was you’re still not him. You’ve been our defender for years now. You’d think being in an outpost by the ocean would’ve made you happier.”_ _

__“It’s one of the things I hoped for, yes,” Armin released a held breath. He cupped his hand behind the candle and blew it out. “But with this clock on my life I’ve found myself yearning for more. I wanted to see the world I read about as a child, explore it with Eren and Mikasa. But now I’m trapped by a vast, fourth wall. The sea that I once dreamed of is now my prison until this conflict ends and who knows if we’ll live to see that.”_ _

__A firm grip on Armin’s shoulder drew his attention back to Jean, surprising him to see his friend with such a serious demeanor. It also lulled Armin back into his previous thoughts._ _

__“I know we will, we have the devil’s luck after all. You won’t be trapped here forever once we show the word why we deserve to be a part of it. You’ll get to explore it with Eren and Mikasa.”_ _

__The repeated, reaffirming touches broke through the remainder of Armin’s weak resolve. Being the Colossal titan meant sequestering himself from others. Without Eren or Mikasa around Armin found himself deprived of human contact. Finally caving into his desire, Armin leaned into Jean’s touch, reveling in the warmth and fuzzy feelings it stirred in him._ _

__“I hope so, before I succumb. Maybe you could join us too,” Armin replied, briefly nuzzling against Jean’s hand. The gentle but firm grip was far too similar to Eren’s reassurances from their childhood. Once he realized what he was doing, Armin quickly pulled his head back from the clouds and retreated from Jean’s touch. “I-I’m sorry.”_ _

__Jean’s hand remained frozen in the air, his face blushing in the darkness of the dining room. “Armin?”_ _

__“I-I-I’ll see you in the morning. Good night, captain.” Armin grabbed as many of the documents in front of him in a flurry as he could before hastily retreating back to his room. The stragglers would have to remain in the dining room until the morning when his embarrassment hopefully passed._ _

__Armin kicked the wooden door open, not caring about the loud creak when he kicked it shut behind him. He stumbled over to a nearby table to drop all the documents he bothered to retrieve. A mess of crinkled papers scattered across the table, causing another sigh to emerge form Armin’s throat. Hopefully Hange wouldn’t question the condition of the papers._ _

__He took a seat in the wooden chair by the table, resting his head in his hands. “Stupid Armin. Stupid, stupid, stupid.”_ _

__Why now? Why did he now of all times give into desire for affection? It wasn’t because Jean had grown on him like moss on a tree over the years, slowly but surely wrapping around Armin’s heart. Nor could it have been due to stolen glances Armin gave every time Jean would depart, all those times he saw Jean look at him last before every mission. It surely wasn’t due to how both grew to respect each other, fight beside each other, and protect each other over the years._ _

__

__Perhaps it was the first actual contact with a human in weeks. Growing up with Eren and Mikasa allowed all three to express themselves physically, and without them Armin repressed that part of him. Jean must’ve just triggered that side of Armin. Surely that was it._ _

__A light rapping at the door drew Armin from his thoughts._ _

__“Armin?” Jean’s quiet voice came from behind the door, muffled slightly by the wood. “Can I come in?”_ _

__Armin’s mouth dried as he tried to respond, but no sounds escaped him. If he said no that’d just make things worse with Jean but this shouldn’t have been a problem. Finally he managed to piece together a reply, “Yeah.”_ _

__The door creaked open to reveal Jean carrying a neat stack of papers with a small metal flask resting on top of it. He carefully shut it behind him before going over to the table, eyeing the mess of papers scattered in front of him. Jean dropped his stack near the edge of the table, causing the flask to bounce off onto the table with a hollow, metallic echo._ _

__“You forgot these,” Jean stated the obvious, finally observing Armin. He retrieved a lighter from his pocket and lit the candle at the center of the table. The fire illuminated the room and revealed Armin’s flustered face. “I don’t think I’ve known you to leave your flask anywhere.”_ _

__That simple statement bypassed Armin’s embarrassment, allowing the boy to recover some of his composure. “Yeah, I prefer to keep it close.”_ _

__“Clearly,” Jean snorted. He walked behind Armin, sending a chill to run down Armin’s spine. “Why do you bother to drink that stuff? It does nothing for you.”_ _

__Armin prepared a snarky reply but a pair of hands began to massage his upper back. His breath hitched, cutting his response off before it left it his throat. Against his better judgement, he sunk into Jean’s skillful touch._ _

__“I like the sting,” Armin admitted, his head falling back far enough that he could see the smirk on Jean’s face. “Stupid titan metabolism won’t let it dull my senses.”_ _

__“I’m well aware,” Jean paused to frown, briefly staring at the candle._ _

__Armin chuckled, knowing the source of Jean’s momentary distaste. “It’s not your fault you didn’t know about it when you challenged Eren to that drinking contest.”_ _

__“I lost a week’s worth of deserts over that, ‘Min,” Jean complained, drawing more laughter from Armin. Armin’s reactions ceased when Jean resumed his massage, instead drawing a content sigh._ _

__“Not anyone’s fault,” Armin spoke, his eyes fluttered shut as he took in the sensations. “No one knew.”_ _

__A low growl from Jean signaled his disagreement. Rather than dwell on the unpleasant memory, Jean moved his hands upwards towards Armin’s long hair. While Eren opted to not cut his hair and grow it out, it remained much shorter compared to Armin’s. He preferred to let it grow and kept it maintainable by pulling it back into a ponytail. Jean’s hands drifted through the soft hair to the band that kept the golden hair contained._ _

__“May I?” Jean asked, gently pulling the ponytail_ _

__“Please,” Armin answered, his voice low and almost desperate._ _

__Jean swallowed the lump forming in his throat, carefully removing the band._ _

__Armin’s hair flowed downwards, straightening out as his head leaned further back. His relaxed eyes met Jean’s attentive gaze, the candle’s flame shimmering in them._ _

__“For all the danger we’ve faced: the titans, Trost, the rogue titan shifters, the secret police, the coup… I don’t think I’ve seen you retreat that fast in quite a while,” Jean finally broached the topic weighing heavily on Armin’s mind. He knew he hit a bull’s-eye when Armin’s muscles immediately tensed. “World’s strongest bookworm fleeing from what? My hand?”_ _

__Jean’s quip garnered a mixed reaction from Armin. On the one hand he wanted to crawl into his bed and ignore the comment, but another part of him loved the teasing. What was once his torment during training became one of Armin’s favorite traits for Jean. That sharp banter made butterflies swirl in his stomach._ _

__“I… I didn’t flee,” Armin indignantly denied, though he didn’t try to sound convincing._ _

__“Uh-huh. Forgive me if I’m intruding but,” Jean rested his forearms on Armin’s shoulders, leaning closer to Armin’s face. “I think you’re people-deprived.”_ _

__Armin shot Jean a dull stare, his blue eyes icing over. He sat forward, forcing Jean off his shoulders and causing him to stumble forward a bit._ _

__Jean caught himself on the edge of the table._ _

__“Is that why you’re here? Out of some sense of duty?” Armin frowned, disappointment evident in his tone._ _

__Jean scowled at the insinuation, pushing himself off the table. He crossed his arms and puffed his chest out a bit. “Sense of duty? Come on, Armin, we both know what happened in the dining hall. When was the last time you actually talked with someone?”_ _

__Armin stood up, pushing the chair back with the sudden movement. “I meet with Hange every morning and I collect a report from all squad captains when they return.”_ _

__Jean rolled his eyes, dropping his arms to his side. “That doesn’t count. I mean like actually talk about things other than missions. Brag about the books you read as a kid, discuss philosophy, actually talk about all the new things you find in the ocean every day?”_ _

__“I don’t have the time for that anymore,” Armin quickly replied, already aware it was an inadequate answer. He watched the dancing candle flame, refusing to make eye contact with Jean._ _

__“Bullshit, we all have time. You’re not expected to be a soldier every waking moment.”_ _

__“Why did you come here, Jean?” Armin asked, his voice weak. When a pair a strong arms grabbed his shoulders, Armin flinched. His attention turned to towards Jean._ _

__Jean’s serious expression caught Armin off-guard. “Are you really going to make me say it? I know that you know.”_ _

__Armin’s stern expression faltered, his breath hitching once more. The butterflies in his stomach churned a storm as hope swirled with denial inside him. Hope: an emotion he thought he suppressed. He swallowed the bitter façade he’d been putting up, “Yes.”_ _

__Jean’s expression softened upon seeing Armin’s defenses lower, his posture loosening. A blush crept onto his cheeks as a hand scratched the back of his head. Now Jean struggled to maintain eye contact with Armin, fumbling over his words, “Well I-I thought that… I-you…”_ _

__And there it was, a sight Armin hadn’t seen in many years. Behind all of Jean’s bravado, crass nature, snarky remarks, and sharp wit stood the same honest, down to earth yet remarkably uncoordinated twelve year old from training. At least in the realm of expressing his interest in someone. It was the last detail Armin needed to see before admitting that maybe, just maybe, Jean cared for him just as he grew to love the man._ _

__With little regard for Jean’s mixed emotional state, Armin caved into his desires and threw himself forward, embracing Jean. The unexpected impact sent Jean tumbling backwards into the table, but he caught himself before falling to the ground._ _

__“I feel the same. About you that is,” Armin whispered, his head resting on Jean’s shoulder. The fear plaguing him vanished when he felt a pair of arms wrapping around him. He practically melted into the touch._ _

__The two remained still, cherishing the newfound intimacy until the sound of crackling and smell of smoke drove the two off each other. They peered around the room, quickly finding one of the papers on fire from a knocked over candle. Acting on instinct, Jean grabbed the paper and flung the candle across the room. The candle’s flame went out as it journeyed into a nearby wall, falling to the ground with a dull thud. Meanwhile, Armin and Jean stomped onto the paper until it fizzled out._ _

__

__Armin and Jean sat down on Armin’s bed, huffing deep breaths. As Jean’s nerves started to settle, Armin broke out in a bout of laughter. While initially confused by Armin’s sudden reaction, Jean mustered a smile. It’d been quite some time since he heard Armin genuinely happy. When Armin’s laughter died down, Jean asked the question on his mind. “How did you know?”_ _

__Wiping a tear away from his eyes, Armin gave a wide grin, “You mean besides the constant staring and penchant to chat with me?”_ _

__Jean now gave Armin a dull stare, although his voice remained jovial, “Oh, there’s the barbed responses I’ve come to expect.”_ _

__Armin shook his head before returning a tender expression, “I honestly didn’t know for sure until you stumbled over your words. You’re rarely flustered.”_ _

__Jean’s eyes widened, not expecting that response. “Really? That gave me away?”_ _

__“No,” Armin admitted, “It was how you stared at me.”_ _

__“And how was that?” Jean leaned backwards, placing one of his hands over Armin’s.  
Armin’s eyes drifted down to their hands briefly. A tiny smile formed on his face. “You looked at me like I was Mikasa the first time you met her. Like I was the most beautiful thing in the world, even if just for an instant.”_ _

__Armin flipped his hand and grasped Jean’s._ _

__Jean’s mouth fell open for a moment but he remained speechless. A swift squeeze from Armin brought him back to his senses. “I… I mean you’re still very beautiful…”_ _

__Despite the blush that crept Armin’s cheeks, he averted his eyes as his dark thoughts returned to him. “Do you still think that? Even after becoming… this?”_ _

__Jean returned Armin’s earlier reassurance, gripping his hand firmly._ _

__When Armin dared to meet Jean’s eyes, he saw a mixture of seriousness and confidence._ _

__“You might be a titan shifter but you’re still the same brilliant bookworm that dared to dream of a world beyond the walls,” Jean replied, pulling Armin’s hand into his lap. He used his other hand to brush his knuckles along Armin’s jaw. “And unlike Jaeger, you earned your power. It wasn’t given to you.”_ _

__Shaking his head, Armin pulled away from Jean’s knuckles._ _

__“Really? I recall the Captain being the one who gave me this power.”_ _

__“Semantics,” Jean rolled his eyes. He freed his other hand of Armin’s grasp and hung it around Armin’s shoulders, pulling him closer. “You’re the one who we turned to in order to beat Bertl that day. I was the one who turned to you because I knew you could do it. You earned this power to change the world. You’ve become what we spoke about in those trees many years ago.”_ _

__“A monster,” Armin stated, resting his head on Jean’s bony shoulder._ _

__“No, human,” Jean corrected. Gently, he pressed his lips against Armin’s temple._ _

__Armin quickly turned his head, leaving Jean’s pressed together and smooching the air._ _

__“What? No, I said that only monsters could change the world,” Armin frowned.  
Jean’s face fell for a moment before he returned a cocky smirk. “Yeah, because we thought only those who discarded their humanity could change the world. And if you haven’t learned that those who did that were the most human among us then you haven’t learned a thing.”_ _

__Armin opened his mouth to offer a rebuttal but didn’t have an immediate comeback. While that logic seemed counterintuitive, he didn’t have the brain power or the desire to debate that point. Just having a warm body to talk to, debate, and return his wants proved to be more comforting than he expected. His hand traced Jean’s spine from bottom to neck, following the many bumps through his shirt and jacket. Once he reached the base of his neck, Armin pulled Jean’s face towards him._ _

__The first kiss was tentative and chaste. Like Armin’s first time in 3DMG, his mind was too focused on all the small minutia to enjoy the moment. The pressure he exerted against Jean, the tightened abdominal muscles, how hot his face felt, and even how greasy Jean’s unkempt hair felt in his hands; all the stray thoughts that made him forget the important act. It wasn’t until Jean pressed a hand against his back that Armin realized Jean was trying to deepen the kiss. Armin gasped when Jean’s straying hand slipped into gap between his pants and butt._ _

__Using the opportunity, Jean nipped at Armin’s lower lip. The soft moan that escaped Armin sent Jean’s blood straight to his crotch. He pulled back for only a moment to catch his breath._ _

__Unsatisfied with the sudden pause, Armin pushed himself forward onto Jean. Having a taste of what could be, he yearned for more. Losing himself in his desire, he kissed Jean with more force. He pushed Jean against the bed, almost falling on top of him as his self-restraint eroded. Jean felt malleable against his lips, a sensation that excited Armin. What Armin took as Jean allowing him to explore, was instead something much less thrilling._ _

__A snore interrupted Armin’s attempts._ _

__Armin pulled back to see Jean passed out underneath him, his journey finally catching up to him. Rather than grumble at his misfortune, Armin grinned._ _

__“I guess I can finally say I had someone besides Eren in my bed now,” Armin brushed his knuckles along Jean’s scruffy cheek._ _

__Burning the beautiful sight into his mind, Armin gently got up and stripped out of his uniform. He turned away from Jean, methodically removing the clothes in order to remain silent. Just as he removed his pants, he felt a pair of arms wrap around his waist and pull him back to the bed._ _

__“Sorry,” Jean muttered into Armin’s shirt. “That was a nice striptease though.”_ _

__Armin was infinitely thankful he faced away from Jean, lest he see how crimson his cheeks were._ _

__“It’s alright. You’ve had a long day,” Armin managed to not choke on his words._ _

__Letting go of Armin, Jean stood up and walked in front of Armin. He blatantly did a once over of his friend and smirked. “Now that I can say this, you’re fucking gorgeous.”_ _

__Armin’s words wilted under the unexpected compliment._ _

__“S-so are you,” Armin said._ _

__Jean rubbed the back of his head, glancing at the door. “Well, I’m crashing. I’d like to continue this but I should rest up. We should get dinner or something sometime.”_ _

__When Jean started to move for the door, Armin’s hand shot forward and grabbed Jean’s wrist._ _

__“Stay. For the night. Please,” Armin requested._ _

__The sudden proposal broke through Jean’s confident façade. “U-uh… are you… I mean, yes. If you want!”_ _

__Jean’s fumbling of words got Armin giggling again. “Yes, I’d love that.”_ _

__While Armin retreated to his bed, he heard Jean stumbling around as he discarded his clothes. He laid underneath his sheets, watching as Jean stripped to his underwear and shirt. He wouldn’t tell Jean that he enjoyed the show. He didn’t have to explain the wide grin on his face when Jean joined him in bed. Armin rolled away from Jean, facing the wall._ _

__“Sorry for the cramped bed, but they didn’t plan these for two,” Armin apologized._ _

__Jean rested an arm over Armin’s chest and pressed his chest against Armin’s back. “No problem. I like to think of this as cozy. I could get used to this.”_ _

__Armin chuckled as sleep overtook him. “I’m sure you will.”_ _

__\---_ _

__Armin slowly stirred from his dreamless slumber, almost jumping when he felt a pressure against his back. His fears subsided when memories of the previous evening flooded his head, causing a blush to return to his cheeks. He dared not move, instead choosing to nestle in the comfort of Jean’s warmth. While he could see that sunlight filled his room, he couldn’t accurately gauge the time. He hadn’t slept passed dawn in quite a long time. Any chance he had to savor the moment ended when his door flew open._ _

__The sudden noise had Armin springing up in bed._ _

__“Armin! Did you collect that report on the-” Hanji’s excited voice greeted him from the doorway. The commander was already three steps into the room before they stopped mid-sentence._ _

__The look of shock on Armin’s face was only compounded by embarrassment he felt washing over his body._ _

__“C-c-commander…” Armin greeted. He raised a shaky hand and pointed at the pile of papers on the table. “All- all but one page should be ready for review.”_ _

__A groggy yawn escaped Jean as he started to come to._ _

__“I see. Thank you for your diligence,” Hanji cracked a wicked grin. The commander grabbed the stack of papers, momentarily noting the burnt piece on top of the stack. “We can go over these later once you’re in proper attire. I’m happy to see you’re bonding with your fellow soldiers once more. This at least explains why Captain Kirschtein wasn’t at training this morning.”_ _

__Upon hearing his name, Jean’s eyes snapped open. He practically jumped out of bed and offered a salute to Hanji. “Commander!”_ _

__Hanji stared at Jean, only briefly glancing downwards and chuckling._ _

__“Very firm salutes, captain,” Hanji pointed to Jean’s crotch, who quickly covered his morning wood. “I’ll excuse your tardiness this morning but next time please don’t let your… personal affairs get in the way of work. I’ll see you two after lunch. Levi is going to love hearing why he had to train your squad this morning.”_ _

__“We’re sorry, it won’t happen again!” Armin apologized profusely, his face red from shame._ _

__Hanji waved a hand in the air, turning to leave. “It’s alright Armin, you’re only human.”_ _

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this Jearmin piece on tumblr between December and the end of January so a few of the time skip details were missed buuuuut fuck it. I wanted to write a piece where I got to explore some of Armin's personality after he reached the ocean and processed Bertl's memories since we still haven't seen him yet. Jean and Armin's relationship is probably my favorite in the story and I imagine if they ever confessed, or at least if Jean tried to confess to anyone, it'd go along the lines of this. If you guys want to see them do the dirty let me know and I can put to paper some of the ideas I have once they've been dating for a little while :)
> 
> As always, all kudos and comments are appreciated. Please let me know what you thought about their interactions and the story!


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